GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Analog Playback
In the Thread: Today's best turntables vs. greatest vintage turntables.

Post Subject: Today's best turntables vs. greatest vintage turntables.Posted by Patrick Mattucci on: 10/20/2013

Good afternoon Romy! I'm Pat Mattucci, and I'd like to respond to your post.

How interesting you would post a response to my humble question to an obscure little group on my birthday, of all days. I'm honored. I also happen to be from the Philadelphia area, so your response reminds me of a line from a movie "I, like God, do not play with dice and do not believe in coincidence".

I'm not a "Marketing guy". I design residential and commercial Audio, Video, Surveillance, Security, Lighting and Home Theater systems for people, and provide the means to integrate and control them. Two channel is a labor of love for myself and a few others at the company I work for. We offer VPI, Music Hall and Clearaudio tables and arms, as well as Ortofon, Clearaudio, Denon and Audio Technica cartridges to clients who typically are getting back into vinyl after a long absence. It's a lot of fun for me to watch my clients not only rediscover a format they once loved, but rediscover High Fidelity and it's relevance to enjoying music at a higher level. Additionally, I'd like to mention that I love vintage Japanese turntables of the 70's and 80's. I own and listen to the following set-up's:

Sony PS-8750 with a Goldring Eroica LX

Luxman PD-444 with an Audio Technica AT-1010 arm/ Ortofon Kontrapunkt B AND an Audiocraft AC-300MKII arm/ Benz Micro ACE LO on wand #1 and a Denon DL-103D on wand #2 in tonearm slot two

Yamaha GT-2000 (Gigantic & Tremendous) with the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze (my personal favorite cartridge of all time)

Other vintage tables have come and gone, and I suspect will continue to do so.

So Romy, after re-reading your post a few times, it seems you aren't willing to commit to an answer to my question until proper set-up of an analog system, vintage or contemporary in this scenario, has been achieved. And I agree with that sentiment. Additionally, I'd like to point out that it's opinions on the question I seek, as well as definitive answers. And the answers I've gotten over the years that I've been asking this question have stood in stark contrast to each other. Some say that we have better materials used in bearings and tonearms and cantilevers. We have better stylii today than we did in the 70's and 80's. When it comes to cartridges, I'm about 90% in agreement that today's are superior. When it comes to tables and arms, I'm not so sure.

At any rate, what's important to me is that the endeavor remain fun. I love analog, and I'm able to maintain my enthusiasm for it with my clients, who simply become curious about my enthusiasm and because of their curiosity, sometimes leave my showroom having purchased a new turntable. I am not running a club for elitists and neurotic audiophiles need not apply. And certainly I have learned at least as much about analog from my clients and coworkers as they have learned from me. The vinyl resurgence is real, and it' a wonderful time for those of us who choose to see the fun and excitement in it.

Regards,
Patrick

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